WETA has been a part of the production of "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" (first named "The Robert MacNeil Report") since its creation in 1973. At that time, the program was produced in part by WNET in New York with assistance from WETA, which served as the program's Washington news studio.
Since 1995, "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" has made WETA its production home. Working closely with MacNeil/Lehrer Productions, WETA provides technicians, cameras, equipment and its production facility to bring "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" to more than 300 PBS stations.
"The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" originates from the WETA studios. "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" also has a West Coast studio at KQED/San Francisco. The program maintains a video production facility in Denver, Colorado.
According to A.C. Nielsen, the program reaches 99% of the nation's television households. Nearly 2.7 million people tune in to "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" each weeknight (1.4 HH rating) and more than 8 million unduplicated viewers watch at least one night a week. In addition, the program has been singled out in surveys as America's most credible news program.
"The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" is fed live by satellite from 6:00 to 7:00pm (ET) each weeknight, with repeat feeds updated when news warrants, from 7:00 to 8:00pm and 9:00 to 10:00pm. (ET). WETA TV 26 and 90.9 FM broadcast the program Monday through Friday at 7:00pm.
"The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" is also carried daily in Japan by NHK Broadcasting, via the Direct Broadcast Satellite System (Channel One); in Asia, Europe, Latin America and Africa, via the U.S. Information Agency's WorldNet Satellite; and in 23 countries in the Middle East and North Africa via Orbit Satellite Television and Radio Network.
For additional information about the history of "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer," news summaries, special reports, forums, letters, underwriters and more, visit www.pbs.org/newshour.
